Detachable mud flap for vehicles



July 13, 1954 E. .1. BACINO DETACHABLE MUD F'LAP FOR VEHICLES Filed June 25, 1952 FIG.

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l5 INVENTOR E. J. BACINO, BY

ATTORNEY Patented July 13, 1954 UNITED STATES ATENT OFFICE 4 Claims. 1

My invention consists in a new and useful improvement in mud iiaps and is designed to provide Ia readily detachable flap as a splash guard for the wheels of motor trucks, tractors and trailers. Heretofore, mud iiaps have been provided for trucks, which were attached permanently to the truck, giving rise to several undesirable results. The main objection to a non-removable ap is interference of the flap when the truck is being backed over a rough eld, catching the flap under the wheel and ripping the flap 01T. Also there is interference of the flap when the truck is used for dumping a load, catching the flap under the dumped load or under the rear wheel when the truck is backed during the dumping in an effort to push the dumped load into a higher pile, as is sometimes necessary.

The object of this invention is to provide an easily removable and easily attachable mud nap, for the purpose of operating a truck economically, both on and off highways when flaps are legally required and when the truck can be operated without iiaps, respectively.

To this end, this invention provides an easily removable flap. To accomplish easy removal, the nap is molded or formed with a T head which slides into an open channel mounted permanently under the body of the truck just behind the rear wheel, either by flat head screws through countersunk holes in the channel directly into the body, or by use of mounting brackets to secure the channel to the body in a level position, where there may be obstructions. The T head of the exible nap is entered into the channel and slides all the way in until it comes to a stop at the end of the channel and where it may be fsecured by a simple snap lock. For durability, vthe T head of the iiap is re-iniorced by a metal :insert molded in the T head at the time of manufacture, and also for further durability cords are molded within the exible flap, running from the metal insert.

While I have illustrated in the drawing and hereinafter fully describe one specic embodiment of my invention, it is to be distinctly understood that I do not consider my invention to be limited to said specic embodiment but refer for its scope to the claims appended hereto.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a perspective of my improved mud ap applied to a dump truck, a portion of the truck being shown in broken lines.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary rear elevation of the mud iiap and the mounting means.

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the parts shown in Fig.2.

Fig, 4 is a fragmentary elevation of the mud flap.

Fig. 5 is a vertical section on the line 5--5 of Fig. 4 in the direction of the arrows.

As shown in the drawing, my improved mud flap F is mounted on the truck by means of brackets B, each of which comprises a plate I having lateral wings 2 which are bolted, welded or otherwise suitably attached to the body of the truck immediately aft of the wheel. A trackway W is removably attached by suitable fastening means such as bolts 3, depending from the plates I. The trackway W comprises a top plate 4, sides 5, 5, and support rails t, 6 spaced -to provide a slot l. The plate 4 has at its inner end a depending lug 8 (Fig. 2)

The ap F comprises a core C and a casing C-I molded on the core C (Fig. 5). The core C is a plate of suitable rigid material having the reversely bent portions 9 and I0 and the lateral portions II and I2 normal to the portions 9 and I@ forming a T head, in cross-section. The core C has a plurality of openings I3 through the plates 9 to I2. A row of openings It is formed in the bent lower edge of the core C. Re-nforcing exible cords I5 are threaded through the holes I4 and depend from the core C (Fig. 4). The casing C-I of any suitable flexible material is molded on the core C and cords I5, to form the body I6 and the wings I'I of the mud flap F. Any suitable form of removable stop, such as a snap-hook I8, may be mounted in one of the rails 6 to retain the flap F in the trackway W.

From the foregoing description of the structure of my improved mud iiap, its use and operation is obvious. When the truck is to travel on a highway where mud aps are required, the nap F can be readily mounted by sliding the wings I'I of the casing C-I along the rails 6 of the trackway W (Fig. 3) until the ap F is seated against the lug 8 (Fig. 2). The snap-hook I8 is then fastened in one of the rails 6 outboard of the ilap F to retain the ap F in the trackway W. When the truck leaves the highway and the mud flaps are no longer required, the iiap F can be readily dismounted by removing the snap-hook I8 and sliding the wings I'I outwardly along ther rails Ii.

Having described my invention, what I claim is:

l. In a removable mud iiap for a wheel of a vehicle, the combination of a channel member the parts being so dimensioned that the body of the casing can be passed in the slotbetween said rails and the wings of the body are disposed on the rails.

2. In a removable mud flapf for awheel. ofa vehicle, the combination of a pair of brackets,

each of said brackets having a pair ofilateral.

wings for attachment to a vehicle; a channel member removably attached to and depending from said brackets, said member comprising a top, sides and bottom rails relatively spaced to provide a slot therebetween; and a ap comprising aicore and a casing molded on said core, said core comprising a rigid plate having a pair of reversely bent depending portions and a pair of lateral portions extending from the upper ends of said `depending portions normal thereto, and

said casing comprising aV ffexible body with a pair of lateral Wings extending from the upper ends ofthe sides of the body, respectively, normal thereto, the parts being so dimensioned that the body of the casing can be passed in the slot betweenf said rails and the wings of the body are disposed-.on the rails.

3.In a mud flap for a vehicle wheel, the combination of a member removably attached to and depending from the vehicle, said member having a pair of rails relatively spaced to provide a slot therebetween; and a flap comprising a plate having a pair of lateral portions extending from its upper end and a body with a pair of lateral wings covering said portions, respectively, the parts being so dimensioned that the flap can be passed'in the slot between said rails and the wings of the body are disposed on said rails.

4. In a mud flap for a vehicle Wheel, the comination of a pair of brackets, each of said brackets havinga pair of lateral wings for attachment to a vehicle; a member removably attached to and depending from said brackets, said member having. a pair of rails relatively spaced to provide a slot therebetween; and a flap comprising a' plate, having a pair of lateral portions extending from its upper end and a body with a pair of lateral wings covering said portions, respectively, the parts being so dimensioned that the ap can be passed in the slot between said railsy and the wings of the body are disposed on said rails.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES VPATENTS Number Name Date 1,363,321 Jaeger Dec. 28, 1920 1,809,711 Kile June 9, 1931 2,486,032 Jimenez4 Oct. 25, 1949 2,546,781 Rheeling Mar. 27, 1951 2,619,363 Wenham Nov; 25, 1952 

